ADL Files FEC Complaint Against JVP’s Political Action Committee Alleging Numerous & Repeated Violations of Federal Campaign Finance Laws

New York, NY, June 3, 2024 … ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) today filed a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) charging Jewish Voice for Peace’s (JVP) political fundraising arm with numerous violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act and FEC regulations. Jewish Voice for Peace is a fringe anti-Israel group dedicated to the elimination of the state of Israel as a Jewish state despite nearly half of the world’s Jewish population residing in the country.

The complaint against JVP Action PAC (JVP PAC) and its treasurer cites numerous financial discrepancies in the political action committee’s income and expense reports, and charges it with illegally accepting prohibited corporate contributions and donations in excess of federal limits.

“Simply put, JVP PAC’s numbers do not add up, and despite repeated warnings from the FEC, the PAC has failed to correct the record,” said Steven C. Sheinberg, ADL Chief Legal Officer. “Moreover, while JVP PAC holds itself out to the public as a mechanism for supporting candidates for federal elected office, a significant majority of the PAC’s spending did not go to candidates or have any apparent direct connection to a federal campaign. The public deserves to know where this money is going, and the FEC must hold JVP PAC accountable for violations of the law.”

Despite being registered with the FEC as a “nonconnected” committee, JVP PAC describes itself as the “electoral wing” of JVP Action, which itself is the 501(c)(4) affiliate of Jewish Voice for Peace, a fringe, radical anti-Israel activist group that advocates for a complete economic, cultural, and academic boycott of the state of Israel.

While JVP PAC reported $82,956 in expenditures for 2020 through 2023, only $1,775, or a little over 2 percent, was contributed to federal candidates for office. Instead, a significant portion of the spending was earmarked to paying “legal” and other noncampaign related costs, including a $19,656 payment for “legal services” made to an insurance firm that doesn’t appear to practice law.

The PAC’s financial filings show a “pattern of noncompliance” that has resulted in four requests for additional information from the FEC in 2022 and 2023, according to the complaint, but JVP PAC has thus far failed to respond to the FEC and has taken no steps to amend their reports.

The complaint also alleges the JVP PAC has a pattern of accepting in-kind support from JVP Action without paying for the market value of the support, potentially resulting in a prohibited in-kind corporate contribution.

“The PAC’s reports show a number of financial discrepancies, discrepancies in cash on hand from report to report, and other reporting errors,” the complaint states. JVP PAC also appears to have repeatedly accepted contributions in excess of federal limits.

ADL urged the FEC to conduct an immediate investigation and to levy appropriate sanctions for any and all violations, including civil penalties “sufficient to deter future violations” and an injunction prohibiting future violations.

ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913, its timeless mission is “to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of antisemitism and bias, using innovation and partnerships to drive impact. A global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens, ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.